£1 million pledged to winning pitch from West Midlands start-up

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A ground-breaking £1 million pitch competition is launching in the West Midlands, solidifying the region’s position as a powerhouse in the tech sector.

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Aimed at uncovering the region's most promising start-up business, One to Win is spearheaded by The Rigby Group, SCC, Haatch, and the West Midlands Co-Invest Fund (delivered through Midven, part of Future Planet Capital), and boasts the largest single prize for any pitch competition in the UK.

The brand-new One to Win competition was launched within London Tech Week by TechWM and a cohort of leading stakeholders, at the Mathys and Squire LLP offices in The Shard, London. Applications open on the 1st of July: shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to pitch for the prize during Birmingham Tech Week on Wednesday 23 October with the winner announced two days later on Friday 25 October.

Powered by TechWM, One to Win will showcase the region's vibrant and thriving tech sector on the national stage. The unprecedented £1 million cash injection prize money will be awarded to a West Midlands business that’s demonstrating game-changing innovation and is on track for further impressive growth.

The initiative will also support those from the region who don’t meet the entry criteria, offering alternative support: including opportunities for trade missions; investor connections; access to mentors and workshops; guidance on accelerators and incubators; and links to corporate innovation programmes.

Backed by leading investors, stakeholders, and key tech players, the pitch competition demonstrates the belief in the region’s ability to become a global tech superpower.

Yiannis Maos MBE, CEO of TechWM said: “The One to Win is the culmination of everything we’re doing to nurture, platform, and develop the fantastic tech scene here in the West Midlands. All parties involved share the belief that the region is the sleeping giant of the tech landscape, and we’ve been working incredibly hard to let the world know what it has to offer. “Groundbreaking initiatives and competitions like One to Win are brilliant opportunities to further showcase the wonderful work going on in the region, and thanks to the generous backing of our fantastic stakeholders, partners, and sponsors, we’re able to give one talented start-up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to receive the biggest pitch competition prize in the UK – an incredible step forward for both the worthy winner and the region as a whole.”

Steve Rigby, Co CEO of Rigby Group said: “The West Midlands has all the qualities needed to become a leading tech powerhouse. My family business, Rigby Group, is the second largest private company in the West Midlands, while our technology business, SCC, is the largest tech company in the region. We are enormously proud of our roots and are delighted to support TechWM and their work to put our home region on the global stage. I very much believe One to Win will shine a light on our home grown tech talent and provide game changing support to the winning business.”

The One to Win competition is open for expressions of interest from 12th June and opens for applications on 1st July.